TrustMaps - Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ explains what TrustMaps are, how a product gets on a TrustMap, and the efforts we undertake to ensure TrustRadius remains a trustworthy source of candid, unbiased reviews and ratings.
What are TrustMaps?
TrustMaps™ are two-dimensional charts that help you compare software products in a particular category based on authenticated, end-user data.
You might liken TrustMaps to the Gartner Magic Quadrant or the Forrester Wave, with some key differences:
- TrustMaps are purely reflective of real user data rather than analyst investigation. The primary research involvement is ensuring that the products being compared on a TrustMap all fit the category.
- TrustMaps are dynamically updated as new data comes in.
- TrustMaps can be filtered based on the parameters that are important to you.
- TrustMaps are backed by in-depth, quality review content, so you can drill down to understand the context behind the numbers.
TrustRadius is committed to vetting all reviewers to ensure they are providing quality, candid opinions you can trust.
What data goes into the TrustMaps?
Products are plotted on the TrustMap based on two dimensions: the overall trScore rating on a 10-point scale (Y-axis), and relative research frequency by prospective buyers on TrustRadius (X-axis).
The Y-axis acts as an indication of customer satisfaction, and is supported by the tens of thousands (and growing) end-user ratings and reviews that TrustRadius has collected.
The X-axis indicates product momentum. Each month hundreds of thousands of software buyers research software products on TrustRadius to inform their decisions. Thus the amount of website traffic a product receives relative to its competitors is a good proxy for momentum.
There is a third dimension to the TrustMaps as well – the data can be filtered based on company size of the end-user. This is important because a small business and an enterprise might have very different software needs; i.e., a software product might be highly rated by enterprise users but too complex or overkill for small business needs. The filtered TrustMaps reflect this.
The Y-axis acts as an indication of customer satisfaction, and is supported by the tens of thousands (and growing) end-user ratings and reviews that TrustRadius has collected.
The X-axis indicates product momentum. Each month hundreds of thousands of software buyers research software products on TrustRadius to inform their decisions. Thus the amount of website traffic a product receives relative to its competitors is a good proxy for momentum.
There is a third dimension to the TrustMaps as well – the data can be filtered based on company size of the end-user. This is important because a small business and an enterprise might have very different software needs; i.e., a software product might be highly rated by enterprise users but too complex or overkill for small business needs. The filtered TrustMaps reflect this.
How does a product appear on a TrustMap?
A few factors go into this.
- Category - A product must fit the particular category. In addition to external research, TrustRadius researchers will often speak with vendors and experts to arrive at a meaningful set of parameters or requirements for a category. These parameters are articulated in the category overview page (below the TrustMaps). In some cases, a software product fits multiple categories and can show up on multiple TrustMaps. This happens especially in areas where categories are distinct but overlap, or vendors build suites that span multiple categories.
- Data - A product must meet the data threshold to appear on the TrustMap. In many categories, the threshold is a least 10 ratings or reviews overall, and at least 5 in a particular company-size segment. In categories where TrustRadius has collected far more data, the threshold is higher.
- Products per Category - There must be sufficient products that meet the data threshold. A TrustMap with one or two products is not very meaningful, so not all have software categories have TrustMaps (yet!).
How is the data collected?
All ratings and reviews come from authenticated end-users of the software product. Each reviewer must authenticate using LinkedIn or their work email address, and a TrustRadius researcher vets the reviewer to ensure there is no bias or conflict of interest.
This page describes in detail the source of TrustRadius reviews and how each reviewer is vetted.
This page describes in detail the source of TrustRadius reviews and how each reviewer is vetted.
How should I use the TrustMaps?
This depends on where you are in the selection process. The TrustMaps can be a way to start your research, vet a product you’re already considering, or compare a product you’re already using.
In all cases, we encourage you to go beyond the TrustMap itself. User sentiment can be reflective of many things, such as a how a product is being used, how much a user is paying for it, and how complex it is. The average user satisfaction rating reflects quantitative data, but qualitative data is just as important, if not more so.
If you’re evaluating a product, you can drill much deeper:
In all cases, we encourage you to go beyond the TrustMap itself. User sentiment can be reflective of many things, such as a how a product is being used, how much a user is paying for it, and how complex it is. The average user satisfaction rating reflects quantitative data, but qualitative data is just as important, if not more so.
If you’re evaluating a product, you can drill much deeper:
- Read the reviews and filter them by industry, role, or company size of the reviewer, so you can surface the perspectives most relevant to you.
- Search the reviews for features, concepts or competitors that you care about.
- Compare the product to other products on attributes such as usability, customer support and implementation, as well as specific features relevant to the category.
I’m a software vendor, but not on the TrustMap. What can I do?
If your product fits the category and you’re not on the TrustMap, it’s because you don’t meet the ratings and reviews threshold. Please contact us at vendors@trustradius.com